Lancaster: “undercut” or a full-fledged replacement for rifled weapons? Review + video

Many young hunters want to buy themselves a rifle in order to make accurate shots over long distances. This is not possible with classic weapons with a smooth barrel. According to Russian legislation, to obtain a license for a rifled weapon, it is necessary to own a smooth-bore weapon for at least five years, and only after that a citizen of the Russian Federation will be able to master a weapon with a rifled barrel. , a weapon-cartridge complex for caliber .366 TKM was developed

Cartridge .366 TKM

.366 TKM is a hunting cartridge that was created in Russia for smoothbore weapons with rifling at the end of the barrel of no more than 140 mm (“Paradox”) or barrels created using Lancaster drilling technology. The caliber of the cartridge is indicated in inches and is designed for smoothbore hunting weapons with a long barrel. The abbreviation “TKM” was assigned from the developer of this cartridge, CJSC Tekhkrim and OJSC VPMZ Molot.

A special feature of the cartridge is the ballistic characteristics of the caliber, which are similar to those of a rifled weapon, since the rifling at the end of the barrel or the Lancaster drilling allows the bullet to rotate in flight and increase the accuracy of the ammunition hitting the target. Thus, this weapon-cartridge complex according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, is considered smooth-bore and can be purchased under a “green” license.

When developing the cartridge, a cartridge case was taken from the 7.62×39 cartridge of the 1943 model. It was shortened by 1 mm and flared to fit the bullet caliber.

Lancaster drill gauges

Since Lancaster is an exclusively Russian phenomenon, one cannot expect any variety. There are four calibers in total:

• .366 TKM

  - an intermediate cartridge, corresponding to the traditional Kalashov 7.62x39 and superior to it in terms of shot energy - the recoil is felt noticeably stronger. Suitable for all purposes, from sport to ungulate hunting. The caliber is described in detail in this article;

• 9.6x53 Lancaster

  - a rifle cartridge, an analogue of 7.62x54 with the corresponding lethality and power, which gave its name to the entire class of weapons. The cartridge is very powerful and is suitable for hunting large ungulates, predators, or training shooting at a distance of up to 300 meters;

• .345 TK

  — An analogue of a 9x19 pistol caliber, made for a sports carbine for practical shooting in the PCC (Pistol Cartridge Carbine) class. The firing distance is up to 100 meters, just like its rifled counterpart. It’s unlikely to be suitable for hunting, but it’s ideal for sports and tactical training. We described it in detail in this article;

• .366 Magnum

  — a new product, an analogue of the hunting .308 caliber. Ideal for any hunting at distances of 200-250 meters. The energy of the shot is not as excessive as that of the 9.6x53, but with a heavy bullet the cartridge has high destructive power.

Types and prices of cartridges in .366 TKM caliber

Application

The cartridge was developed specifically for hunting needs and is used in hunting medium and large animals up to 200 kg, and the cartridge is also used for hunting large animals up to 500 kg. The range of use of ammunition is 150 - 200 meters; above 200 meters, a cartridge of this type is ineffective.

Pros:

• High stopping power, which allows you to hunt large animals.
• The accuracy of hits is compatible with rifled weapons.
• A rifle license is not required.

Minuses:

• Ineffective at distances over 200 meters.
• Unstable quality of the first batches of cartridges.
• The high cost of ammunition.

What are weapons with a Lancaster drill suitable for?

Lancaster is not a replacement for rifled weapons and will never be one. But this does not mean at all that the weapon is bad, or that it has no tasks - they turned out to be even more than the creators predicted.

The effective range of the weapon does not exceed 250-300 meters, but the bullet retains energy at a much greater distance. It's all about unusual ballistics - flatness remains at distances of 100-150 meters, after which the bullet begins to fall strongly due to air resistance.

Fall chart for .366TKM with Kion bullet

This certainly needs to be taken into account when hunting, so the main difficulty is quickly calculating corrections taking into account such a sharp drop in the bullet when shooting at a distance of over 200 meters. Well, at distances up to 200 meters, weapons with Lancaster drills behave exactly the same as rifled ones in similar calibers, therefore, with a small reservation, they are suitable for hunting medium and large game at medium distances.

Also, carbines in .366TKM caliber can be used for sports - practical shooting in all disciplines without restrictions. They are in no way inferior to similar rifled carbines, except perhaps the price of a shot - it is 2-3 times higher. Another purpose for which Lancaster weapons are ideal is recreational shooting and tactical training - a full range of body kits, accessories and optical devices from rifled analogues are at your service.

One way or another, the opportunities that weapons in Lancaster open up for a shooter who has not accumulated experience before rifle shooting are simply enormous! If previously those who wanted normal bullet shooting had to wait 5 years of experience, or master .410 and 20 caliber bullets, now you can get a weapon that is practically not inferior to a rifled one with the very first license!

LLC "Molot-Weapon" under .366 TKM

He was one of the first to work on creating weapons for this type of cartridge and created two carbines VPO-208 and VPO-209.

VPO-208

The VPO-208 is a complete analogue of the Simonov self-loading carbine (SKS) and is replaced by a .366 caliber barrel (smooth barrel with rifling at the end of the barrel) and a modified magazine for supplying ammunition. All other elements of the mechanisms and bolt group remained unchanged, which gave the weapon the authenticity of the legendary Simonov carbine.

VPO-209

But to create the VPO-209, the equally well-known platform of the Kalashnikov assault rifle was used, in which the barrel was also replaced with a smooth one with Paradox rifling, automatic fire was removed and the food stores were modified.

Also read

Smoothbore carbine vpo 208 and vpo 209 overview and characteristics

Some time later, when the .366 caliber was recognized as a success and gained its fans and a large number of gun owners for this type of ammunition. New types of weapons were created. Here are some of them:

VPO-212

A carbine developed from scratch, based on the Vepr-Pioneer rifled hunting carbine (SOK-97-R). The carbine can be purchased under a “smoothbore” license. It has similar characteristics to its rifled brother, these are: a wooden hunting stock, barrels 520 mm and 650 mm long, a push-button safety and detachable magazines for 5 and 10 rounds.

VPO-213

The weapon, like the VPO-212, was created from scratch. The military platform Vepr-1B was taken as the base, which is based on a heavy receiver from a Kalashnikov light machine gun with a heavy barrel. Carbines with different barrel lengths are available for sale - 390mm, 420mm, 520mm.

Hammer Arms LLC under .366 TKM

A little later, another company, Molot Arms LLC, which is also located in the city of Vyatskie Polyany, developed its weapons chambered for .366 TKM in a similar way, using Simonov self-loading carbines and Kalashnikov assault rifles for this procedure. But the difference was in the use of Lancaster barrels for drilling. The cross-section of the barrel has an oval shape, which is twisted along the entire length of the barrel and makes a full revolution of 500 mm.

AK-366-Lancaster

This type of weapon was created according to a similar design as the VPO-209, with the difference in drilling the barrel according to the “Lancaster” type.

AKS-366-Lancaster

The smoothbore gun is based on the Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding butt down (AKMS), a model created specifically for paratroopers. It differs from military weapons in that it has a blocked automatic fire capability and a replaced barrel chambered for a .366 caliber smoothbore cartridge.

AKS-366-Lancaster-02

Smoothbore carbine. Created on the meringue of a Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding frame stock that folds to the left. Difference from the combat one, just like the AKS-366-Lancaster, automatic fire is blocked, the barrel has been replaced.

AKS-366-Lancaster-03

A smoothbore gun based on a Kalashnikov assault rifle and a shortened barrel of the AKS type. Difference: automatic fire is blocked, the barrel is replaced with a Lancaster drill.

SKS-366-Lancaster

A smoothbore gun based on the Simonov self-loading carbine, it differs from military weapons only in the replacement barrel chambered for .366 TKM.

Soviet weapons converted for the civilian market, which can be bought in Russia for hunting

In the domestic arms market, in addition to traditional civilian versions of firearms, there are also models that are created by converting them from military analogues

, lying around in warehouses. In this article I will talk about several of these “trunks”.

No. 4 VPO-135 or PPSh-O

Let's start, perhaps, with a civilized version of the legendary Shpagin submachine gun

, aka PPSh-41. Several enterprises are engaged in remaking Soviet classics. One of them is located in Kovrov, the other in the city of Vyatskie Polyany. They differ only in shops.

Of course, no one will give us a civil PP, since this is prohibited by law. As a result, we have a hunting carbine chambered for 7.62x25

. A similar one is used in the original PPSh.

It is worth noting that such a carbine is unlikely to be suitable for hunting.

, since the very idea of ​​​​creating hunting weapons from PP is questionable. A pistol cartridge does not have enough power to hunt medium or large game. In addition, a shooting range of 100 meters is unlikely to satisfy the hunter’s desires.

In addition, a huge disadvantage for VPO-135 is its weight

. Without cartridges it weighs 3.8 kilograms, and with a magazine almost 5 kg. And 7.62x25 caliber cartridges are quite difficult to find.

This carbine is more suitable for lovers of Soviet classics

, as a collector's item, as well as for recreational shooting, if you have the opportunity and finances to purchase ammunition.

No. 3 Vepr-KM (VPO-136)

What weapon is the most popular and famous in the world? Well, of course, a Kalashnikov assault rifle. The domestic arms market offers many civilian versions of the Saiga based on the AK and other analogues. But among the carbines there is also one that is made from original AKM

. We are talking about Vepr-KM, aka VPO-136, from .

Perfect for those who want to get an almost exact copy of the AKM

. All his shortcomings remained in place. The 7.62x39 ammunition used has not changed either.

Please note: Stone Age weapons.

It will be enough for hunting medium game.

The weight without a magazine is 3.8 kg, with 10 rounds (the law no longer allows) - 4 kg. Sighting range up to 3 hundred meters. This carbine attracts with its “authenticity”

. There are enough models on the market with better ergonomics and technical characteristics. Although, according to reviews from weapon lovers and my friend, this carbine is quite reliable.

In general, Molot-Arms made a solid fenced AKM

, except perhaps having lost the original cleaning rod, accessory case and belt along the way.

No. 2 Simonov self-loading carbine

Another Soviet carbine that domestic gunsmiths decided to launch on the civilian market was the SKS. It does not undergo any special changes

, except that they remove the tide for the bayonet and slightly modify the open sights.

Several versions available for different calibers

, it is excellent in the original 7.62, including the .366 TKM Lancaster. The SKS has a total length of 1020 mm and a weight of 3.6 kilograms. For power, you can use original 10-round clips. It is possible to replace the standard magazine with a detachable box magazine.

According to shooters and hunters, the standard SKS is a rather dubious weapon, but its design makes it possible to replace almost all parts. Fans of weapon “tuning” will be truly delighted

.

Among the advantages

owners note the affordable price, excellent shooting accuracy, correct balance of the weapon and reliability.
One of the disadvantages
is the need for modernization, since the basic version of the SCS is quite bad.

No. 1 Carbine KO-30 S

A hunting carbine created from the legendary Mosin rifles

. When problems arose with the range of hunting weapons on the domestic market, manufacturers had to get stocks of “three-line guns” from warehouses.

It is worth noting that only sniper variants were taken for conversion

, since they suffered less often in battle, and the barrels have better ballistic characteristics.

Due to the use of a powerful 7.62x54 cartridge, this carbine is ideal for hunting big game

. In addition, it works perfectly even with large temperature differences (from -50 to +50).

The disadvantages include the need to charge 1 cartridge at a time, as well as the instability of the product. The quality of the rifle purchased will greatly depend on how the rifle was used before the modification.

.

By the way, on the cover you saw the famous Maxim machine gun.

. Did you think I added it just “for show”? Not really. I saw a civilian version of this machine gun in one store in Voronezh (you can write me a personal message, I’ll tell you which one). That's why there are even such wonders.

In general, you can find decent offers on the domestic market if you want to become the owner of an army SMG or a carbine converted to meet the legal requirements for civilian weapons.

What is the difference between a smooth-bore weapon and a rifled weapon - we explain it in simple language

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Article source: Soviet weapons converted for the civilian market, which can be bought in Russia for hunting.

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JSC Concern "Kalashnikov"

Saiga TG2

The first smoothbore carbine in .366 TKM caliber from JSC Kalashnikov Concern . Developed on the basis of a rifled carbine 7.62/39 version 030. The forend and butt are made of impact-resistant polymer, the butt folds to the left. The length of the carbine when folded is 705 mm, when unfolded it is 945 mm, the weight of the gun is 3.5 kg, and the barrel length is 415 mm. To attach the sighting device there is a side dovetail strap secured with 3 rivets. Includes 1 plastic magazine for 10 rounds.

The price for the TG2 smoothbore carbine for the 1st quarter of 2022 is RUB 36,990.